WNBA Oyster Farmer
Commissioned for The New York Times
Marking the 25th anniversary of the WNBA New York Liberty honors one of the team's pioneers, Sue Wicks. As the first pick of the Liberty in its inaugural season in 1997, Wicks led the team to three trips to the WNBA Finals in the league's first four years, creating lasting connections between players and fans. "We had a magical moment in time, and the people in the stands were part of it, especially women and young fans," said Sue Wicks. Playing on the team for six seasons, she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
Today Wicks can be found in the salty waters off Long Island, tending to the floating cages of her oyster farm, Violet Cove Oysters in Moriches Bay. After her basketball career, she returned to the same waters as generations before her did. Her father had been a bayman, and her grandfather was a boat builder, her great-grandfather a captain, and her great-great-grandfather a rumrunner.
